Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/431

Rh  diseases among those who frequent his worship. Proper burial places should be consecrated out of towns, and divided into two compartments: the earth from one of these should be removed once in ten or twenty years, for the purposes of agriculture, when it will be sufficiently saturated with animal decomposition; and sand, or clay, or even soil that is less fertile, should be substituted. Dr. farther thinks, that the removal of this earth is not likely to shock the relations of the deceased, as the superstition concerning the clay, from which we rose, and into which we return, has gradually vanished before the light of reason. Instances of this happy change occurred, about thirty years ago, in removing a quantity of rich earth from the close of the cathedral at Lichfield; and more lately, in changing a burying-ground at Shrewsbury, both which were executed without exciting superstitious terror, or popular commotion. Although we cannot, in conformity to our professed sentiments, and injustice to the Doctor's benevolent design, on this occasion differ as to the propriety of the expedient he has suggested, yet we doubt whether the tide of prejudice, which influences the multitude, is not, at present, too powerful an obstacle to such innovations. Before attempts of this nature can be made with any hope of permanent success, we venture to say, that much remains to be previously done in our schools, as well as in private education, to unfetter the young mind from the chains of dogmatical slavery, and to inculcate principles of untainted morality, being the most substantial basis of pure Christianity.  BUSH-VETCH, or the Vicia sepium, L. an indigenous plant, growing in woods, hedges, pastures, and meadows. Its leaves are doubled together; bunches shorter than the leaves; the stem upright, sometimes four feet high; the blossoms of a dirty purple, and appear in May and June. This plant shoots earlier in spring than any other eaten by cattle; vegetates late in the autumn, and continues green all winter.

Although the culture of the bush-vetch was strongly recommended by Dr. in 1777, yet from later experience, it appears that it is difficult to collect the seeds, as the pods burst, scatter them about, and being made the nest of an insect, scarcely a third part of them will vegetate. Dr., however, observes, that a spot of garden-ground, sown in drills with this vetch, was cut five times in the course of the second ear, and produced at the rate of 24 tons per acre of green food, which, when dry, weighed nearly $4 1⁄2$ tons.—The Rev. Mr. also informs us, in the third volume of the papers of the Bath Society, that he selected part of a field in which the bush-vetch naturally abounded, sowed it with this plant, and it succeeded so well, that he cut it four times in the same year; the produce of the hay was 24 tons $11 1⁄4$ cwt. per acre, which is upwards of one-third more than lucerne generally produces. But Mr. has since observed to Dr., that though the bush-vetch is very palatable to all kinds of cattle, its cultivation, on a large scale, would be attended with difficulty, as the seeds are generally devoured by a numerous species of insects.—It is farther remarkable, that